Global stardom beckons but first the Bay

BELINDA HENLEY | Friday, September 10, 2010 5:00

HOT STUFF: Annabel Langbein makes the most of fresh, seasonal produce.

Annabel Langbein is taking the country by storm, and now she is preparing to take her brand global.

Ms Langbein is one of New Zealand's most successful and loved cooks. She is the author and publisher of 17 best-selling books, which have sold close to 1 million copies throughout Australasia, North America and Europe.

For the past two decades her simple and accessible approach to cooking has made her a household name. She has recently premiered her new TV series, Annabel Langbein, the Free Range Cook which has already been sold to 19 countries around the world including Canada, Brazil, Poland, UK and France.

She is confident her show will find a niche in all corners of the globe as it is structured around the seasons and "spring is spring, everywhere", she says.

The concept of "free range", came to her after a lot of thought about what was quintessentially "New Zealand" when it came to cooking. She says it embraces not just the idea of food being outdoors, but also a fresh, healthy, free spirited approach to cooking which celebrates all that nature offers.

Ms Langbein hopes by taking the best of what nature has to offer and giving us a little guidance, we can all be kitchen stars.

She says she is overwhelmed by her newfound success but feels it is "just the beginning". The novelty factor of being a Kiwi has undoubtedly played a part in her global discovery.

"The 100 per cent Pure campaign means people perceive us as some kind of lost paradise and we are. You only need to go to any big city to realise how lucky we are with the richness of our food and wine and lifestyle."

Ms Langbein will be the guest of honour at a cocktail party at Black Barn Bistro on Saturday, September 18. Cocktails and canapes designed by her will be served and she will sign copies of her book and discuss her recipes.

Ms Langbein is a big fan of Hawke's Bay produce and our culinary scene and she believes the farmers' markets have made a big contribution to the style of cooking in the Bay.

"There is a great food culture driven around the farmers' markets and the rise of them over the past few years. It's really influenced the way people eat and there is something very nourishing about it," she says.

"Hawke's Bay people are in tune with the seasons and great at celebrating their local community and our amazing country."